1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of medical instruments employed to control female incontinence and in particular to an apparatus for installing a sub-urethral sling and the method of installing the urethral sling.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,478,727; 6,030,393; 5,899,909; 6,491,703; and 6,273,852, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse surgical instruments employed for the sole purpose of treating female urinary incontinence.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical method and apparatus for installing a urethral sling in a safe and simple manner with minimal trauma to the patient's body.
All of the recent surgical procedures that have been developed to install a polypropylene sling tape in an underslung relationship to a woman's urethra for controlling incontinence require that an incision be made in the vaginal and abdominal walls which result in what is now believed to be an unnecessary surgical trauma for the patient.
In addition, the majority of surgical instruments that are currently employed in this medical procedure employ one or more curved tubular instruments wherein, the pointed tip of the curved instrument must pass between the bladder and the symphysis which requires great care and skill on the part of the surgeon.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need in the medical field for a new and improved method and apparatus for installing a sub-urethral tape sling in an underslung relationship in a woman's urinary tract; and, the provision of such a method and apparatus is the stated objective of the present invention.